The Garden in The Library
by Lozzyrhino
Summary: The 11th Doctor has just experienced entering his own timeline and seeing an echo of his wife, Professor River Song. The Tardis, in a show of sisterly solidarity delivers the Doctor onto the doorstep of The Library for a rendezvous with his late wife. Mature content, but hopefully not too racy. :)


The Doctor was brooding. He sat alone in the Tardis, at the edge of a nebula, lost in thought with his memories and emotions. He had just dropped Clara back home, as was their arrangement and took himself off to ponder the ramifications of the events that had just happened. He had just entered his own time-stream – with dire consequences! He had solved the riddle of Clara, the impossible girl and had seen an echo of his wife whom he desperately loved, and had lost her before he had even known who she was. He so much wanted to visit River's copy at The Library but he knew that if he did, it would break his heart into a million pieces. He didn't like good-byes. So there he sat, brooding.

The Tardis was brooding too. A sentient being in her own right; she (in her own way) loved this dual-hearted Gallifrean who was possibly as old as time itself, if anyone had bothered to keep count. She had tried to prevent him from entering his own time-stream, knowing how dangerous it was, and she now had an inkling as to what making the Doctor so sad. She came to a decision, set the coordinates and made her move, travelling at top speed to her destination.

The Doctor was startled out of his ruminations by the sudden movement. As he toppled to the floor as the Tardis whisked him through time and space, he shouted, "Where are we going? What are you doing?!" He picked himself up, grabbed the console and looked at the coordinates.

"No!" he screamed. "We are not going there! Stop, you stubborn old cow, we are NOT, GOING, THERE!"

He aimed a kick at the console, which did nothing to sway the Tardis who, having arrived at her destination, materialised and sat quietly, mission accomplished.

"I'm not going out there." the Doctor fumed, to which the Tardis responded by simply opening the doors.

He couldn't help it. Through the open doors he could see rows and rows of books, stretching for miles. Unbelievably, the Tardis of her own volition had brought him here. He was at The Library.

Slowly, almost unwillingly, he stepped through the door and the scene intensified, the room was filled with miles and miles of books, from all over the universe. However, he hadn't come here to read.

"Hello Sweetie." purred a voice off to his left. He looked over and both his hearts skipped a beat. There she was, a copy, an echo, of his beloved wife, Professor River Song.

The Doctor felt tears threaten. Before he knew it, his legs were moving of their own accord and he was racing towards her. "Why is nothing listening to me today?!" was the thought that flitted through his mind and then he was there, his arms around her, kissing her passionately. River kissed him back just as passionately, their tears mingling as they coursed down both of their cheeks. It felt like eons had passed when they surfaced for air, breathless, clinging to each other for dear life.

"I never thought you'd visit me here." whispered River, her ear pressed to the Doctor's chest.

The Doctor felt his chest constrict. It was sweet agony just holding her, knowing it wasn't really her, the real her was dead, this fully-fleshed apparition was just a copy. But she had River's memories, all of them. It felt like her, it even smelled like her, sweet, like lilies. The Doctor thought he might cry again.

"Walk with me." said River taking him by the hand and leading him out of the main room. She took him through some more reading rooms and out a door that led to, much to the Doctor's astonishment, a garden.

"I didn't know this was here!" he exclaimed. River smiled at him.

"There's lots of things you don't know, sweetie." she breathed, squeezing his hand.

They talked. They meandered for miles, slowly, through the lush gardens, just talking and occasionally stopping for a lingering kiss under a tree. Time passed unbidden, until the Doctor realised that he was hungry.

"In that case," said River, "step this way."

She took him to a secluded clearing, where the trees were so thick, the library walls could no longer be seen. Birdsong was muted, and the Doctor felt like he and River were the only two people left in the universe. Also present in this clearing was a picnic basket and a large, thick blanket, spread out on the ground.

"Come and sit." River patted the blanket next to her as she sat down. "What would you like? I've even got a bottle of wine."

The Doctor sat and they started to eat. As he ate, he got an uneasy sensation that if he didn't depart sometime soon, he may never depart at all. It started to burn in him and as much as he tried to ignore it, it felt like it would overwhelm him.

"River," he started, when they had finished eating, "I think I had better go soon."

River looked down at her hands. "Please don't." she whispered. "Not yet, please."

"I have to." said the Doctor sadly. "Otherwise I won't be able to leave at all."

"You can visit again." pleaded River. "You've done it now, you can do it again."

The Doctor felt tears threaten again. "I'm not sure I can." he said, fighting not to cry. "It's too much. I don't know how I can leave you here."

River stood decisively. "Before you go," she said, her voice thick with emotion, "I want to give you something."

In one sweeping movement, she pulled off the garment she was wearing and stood naked in front of him.

The Doctor sat staring, gob-smacked. They had never consummated their marriage whilst River was still alive and now here was her echo, standing completely naked in front of him. He swallowed hard, uncertain of what to do. River knelt down beside him, her sweet fragrance threatening to overwhelm him.

"I.. I… er, well, I…" the Doctor stuttered, not quite sure where to look. River gently took his chin and looked into his eyes.

"Are you telling me," she said softly "that not once in the hundreds of years that you have been alive, that you've…. I mean, are you a….?" She stopped.

The Doctor thought that he was going to hyperventilate. "I, er…." he stammered, "Um, what if someone interrupts us?" Quite unbidden, he felt a physiological bodily response.

River smiled gently. "No-one's going to interrupt us, sweetie." she said softly and planted a gentle kiss on his lips. Then she slipped around to his ear and whispered his name, and the Doctor was lost.

They spent hours, _hours_, wrapped around each other, loving each other quietly, gently, oh so sweetly until they were both utterly spent. They lay in each other's arms, basking in the glow of their lovemaking, looking at the stars above that had appeared quite unnoticed. A cool breezed caressed their naked skin, yet not so cool that either of them desired to dress. The Doctor looked at River, stroked her cheek and looked deeply into her eyes. She smiled at him, running her hand lightly down his chest and feeling his heartbeats return to normal.

"I do have to go now," said the Doctor, "but I think I'll be able to come back and visit. Especially if there's more of _that_, on offer."

River leaned in and kissed him tenderly. "Absolutely." She whispered. "Any time you want."

Reluctantly, they dressed and wandered back inside to where the Tardis waited patiently. As the Doctor opened the door and prepared to depart, he kissed River once more, with an intensity rivalled only by his love for her, echo or not.

"When will I see you again?" asked River, loathe to let go but doing so nevertheless.

The Doctor winked at her.

"Spoilers." he smirked. With that, he blew her a kiss, shut the door, and was gone.


End file.
